Hangzhou Library Dubbed 'Warmest' for Welcoming Beggars and Scavengers
En resumen
- Hangzhou Library in eastern China's Zhejiang province is known as 'the warmest library' for its policy of welcoming beggars and scavengers, even featuring a statue of one.
- Initiated in 2008, the policy allows free access without a library card, with director Chu Shuqing defending the inclusivity against reader concerns.
Resumen generado por IA
Por qué importa
Hangzhou Library in Zhejiang province is known for its inclusive policy, welcoming all individuals, including beggars and scavengers, since 2008, and was the first in China to offer free access without a library card.
Hangzhou Library, located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, is affectionately dubbed “the warmest library” because it opens its doors to beggars and scavengers, even featuring a statue of one such individual.
Notably, it was the first library in the country to welcome readers without requiring a library card, providing free access to all.
When this inclusive policy was initiated in 2008, a reader expressed concerns to the director about the presence of beggars and scavengers in the library. The director, Chu Shuqing, responded: “I have no right to reject them, but you have the right to leave.”
One of the most frequent scavengers was Wei Sihao.
He had a profound love for reading history and politics and always washed his hands solemnly before diving into a book. A librarian recalled: “Despite being covered in stains, his hands were always remarkably clean.”
